September Glossybox

I am so so so so soooo excited about the September Glossybox! Glossybox is my favorite beauty box and even though it is the most expensive, I also feel that you really get your moneys worth. It is $21/month, but in California you have to pay sales tax, so it comes out to just over $23. It is still WELL worth it and I am psyched to share with you what I received:

GKHair Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner (full size $20) - These were the items that I was the most "meh" about. I pretty unfussy about my shampoo and conditioner, probably because my hair is generally quite well behaved and I've never really been wowed by a shampoo. These smell quite nice though so I'm sure they will be good for travel.

Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water (full size $13) - I am so happy that I received this! I started snooping online at other people's boxes and noticed that someone received this, but most others got some kind of mattifier. Well, I really wanted to try a cleansing water like Bioderma, but couldn't bring myself to buy one until I used up my current eye makeup remover. Now I got one for free!! (well sorta, you know).

Kryolan for Glossybox Moisture Rich Lipstick in Glossy Pink (full size $14) - Pretty nice lipstick in a rosy pink shade. I don't think this is a color I would have picked for myself, but it'll work.

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 (full size $29.99) - I actually almost purchased this, but then I remembered that I had given up on Asian BB creams. Most of them are just too darn light for my skin color and give me a bad case of the ghost face. However, the Missha BB cream comes in 5 shades and the shade I received, 31 Golden Beige, is the darkest. I saw that some people received shade 21, which would have been waaay too light for me so I was hoping and praying that I would get 31! I guess I just got lucky because Glossybox doesn't ask about your skin tone.

Anyway, a lot of stuff to be excited about! I might do a more in depth review after giving some of these products a go. I was also really happy because on the tracking info it originally said that the box would be arriving Oct 3-4 which really annoyed me. I don't really understand their shipping system and it annoys me to no end when I see that it takes over a week to get to LA from Las Vegas!

Ulta Haul!

My first haul post! I ended up buying a few things from Ulta.com because they were having some pretty good sales. I would have just bought them in store, but one of my peeves with Ulta is that they always have a bunch of out of stocks! The store nearest me was pretty much wiped out on the Real Techniques brushes, so online it was. They also had a $10 off $60 purchase, plus free shipping, so I think all of this cost about $60.

I've been hearing so much about the Real Techniques brushes and I own and love their stippling brush, so I thought I'd pick up a few more since they were buy one get one 50% off. Both the Travel Essentials and Core Collection kits retailed for $17.99 and the blush brush and expert face brush were $8.99 each. I'm really liking the blush brush - it's pretty big, but super fluffy and soft and the tapered shape allows for targeted application. The only thing that annoys me slightly about these brushes is that the handles/bases are different on the individual brushes and the set brushes. I don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but the individual brushes have flat, stand up bases and curved handles, while the brushes in the set have straight handles and don't stand up. Why are they different??

Next up is the Bonder base coat and Won't Chip top coat by Orly. These are the smaller (half size) bottles and I think they were $5.50 each. The full size are $10, so you're spending a teeny bit more on the smaller bottle, but I think it's less wasteful because they do end up getting goopy eventually. Bonder is described as a "rubberized" basecoat that grips on to the polish. This is a repurchase for me and I always use it! I noticed that they use this at the salon as well, so it must work?? I'll have to see how things get on with Won't Chip. I usually just use Orly Top 2 Bottom, but I'm interested to see if Won't Chip actually makes my polish last longer. 

I've been wanting to try these Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains (whew that's a mouthful), ever since they came out. These are just like the Clinique Chubby Sticks, Tarte Lipsurgence and any of those crayon-type lip sticks. I've never tried the Chubby Sticks, but I do have quite a few of the Tarte Lipsurgences and I can say they are very similar, down to the minty flavor. 

The two colors I picked up were Charm and Honey. I'm on the fence with Charm because the peachy nude color is a little too light for my lip color and the application is quite patchy. I definitely recommend either exfoliating your lips or wearing lip balm before putting this on because it clings to every dry spot on your lips! Honey goes on a lot better and is a beautiful pinky brown. I think Honey will look awesome in the fall with a plummy blush.

Last, but not least a brow gel. Not much to say except it's a basic clear gel to keep everything in place. I'm kind of obsessed with my brows, so maybe I'll do a show and tell of all my brow products soon!

That's all for now! There's a 40% of NYX, Revlon, Physician's Formula and Almay sales at Ulta right now. I'm so tempted to go pick up a few NYX items especially since I have a coupon too... We'll see. What have you guys purchased recently?

September Sample Society

Sample Society is a(nother) monthly beauty box brought to you by BeautyBar.com and Allure magazine. It costs $15/month and promises 5 deluxe samples in every box. You also get a $15 off $50 purchase coupon to BeautyBar.com as long as a product from one of the featured brands is included in the order.

Honestly, Sample Society is one of my favorite boxes and I really feel like there are great products in every box! Last month's box had a full size Deborah Lippman nail polish! Let's see what's in store (or in box, rather) this month...

CellCeuticals Extremely Gentle Skin Cleanser - I'm not really familiar with this brand, but I'm always happy to try new cleansers. This one is a bit runny in texture, but it is also free of fragrances, parabens, and sodium lauryl sulfate.

Ahava Time to Clear Purifying Mud Mask - I'm a big fan of Ahava products, particularly their Dermud Foot Cream which is sooo ridiculously thick. I've been really into masks recently, so I'm excited to give this a go. Also, you only have to leave this one on for 2 minutes (!!), so it'll be interesting to see what kind of results you get.

Diptyque Tam Dao Eau de Toilette - I don't usually like perfume samples, but hey this is Diptyque! Would I have rather received a candle? Uh TOTALLY, but it's ok. I'm horrible at describing fragrances, but the Diptyque website says sandalwood, Orient, Asian jungle blah blah. This perfume is too strong for me and I'm not a fan of Oriental scents. Weird, considering I'm Japanese (ha ha). I spritzed some on myself and had a coughing fit. I think this might smell good on guys...

Borghese Lip Gloss in Fiore - This is a "my lips but better" color on me and goes on without being too shiny or sticky. There's a bit of a flavor/fragrance going on and it was so familiar to me, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. At first I thought maybe it was a little coconutty like sunscreen, but I just realized that it smells like Jergens lotion! You know, that cherry, almond smell?

Stila Smudge Crayon in Smoke - I love this color! I guess it would be best described taupe? It's a very nice natural alternative to black and dark brown and I think it looks awesome on my lower lash line for a subtle smokey eye. I would buy the full size, but I kind of have a huge stash of eyeliners...

That's it! Can't wait to see what next month brings :)

Lip Obsession

I kind of have an unhealthy obsession with lip balms. Well, all lip products in general. I probably have another 10 balms stashed away in my bathroom cabinet, but these are the ones currently in my rotation:

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm ($19) - I bought this after reading so much about it on the blogosphere. I wasn't really sure about it at first, but it has definitely grown on me. It is quite thick and a teeny bit gritty. The grittiness disappears though as the product is heated by your lips. I primarily use this at bedtime and when I wake up it is still on my lips! Very nourishing. It's a little pricey, but this little pot will last you forever.

Maybelline Baby Lips ($3-4) - I love this so much, I bought all 3 of the tinted flavors - punch, cherry and peach. The pictured one is peach and it is a very sheer nude with a peachy flavor. I think my favorite is the cherry (sheer red) because the pink punch is a little too blue based for me. It makes my lips super soft and I love the hint of color. There are also two clear ones in mint and unflavored.

Pangea Organics Egyptian Fennel with Grapefruit and Sweet Orange ($12) - I can't remember where I got this, but I think it came in a Birchbox. I really love the citrusy scent and again this one makes my lip really soft. This one comes in an extra large tube which is ok, but I'd prefer a regular sized one for more precise application.

Smith's Rosebud Salve ($7) - Love this! I carry mine around in my purse which is why the tin is dented.  Also, I had it in my bag while watching a tennis tournament in 90+ degree weather and it melted and got lopsided. Oh well, it still does the job. It's rose scented, but you don't notice it on your lips, so you don't feel like you're eating flowers. You can buy this on Amazon, but I'm not sure what stores carry it other than Anthropologie. Fortunately, I'm at Anthropologie quite often :)

Jecy's Favorite Virgin Lip Serum (??) - I bought this in Japan and I remember thinking it was a little pricey, so I'm guessing it was over $10. This is the one dud in the bunch and I mostly use this as a clear lip gloss. The consistency is a lot more like a gloss than a balm which explains the "serum." I don't really get virgin lips from this, but it's a nice gloss.

Hoot Loot

Yeah, I totally stole the title of this post from a slot machine. Yeah, I enjoy Vegas and gambling way too much.

What's the deal with owls recently? I've been seeing owl stuff everywhere - jewelry, sweaters, home stuff, etc etc etc. Owls are definitely having their moment, kind of like mustaches. Unlike mustaches, I really like owls, so I thought I would share a couple of my pieces

Wallet - People ask me about my wallet all the time and I wish I could provide more details, but I bought this at the Hakone Museum of Art in Japan about 3 years ago. I'm a little sad because the owl and branch detail have started rubbing off a little. I also bought a set of 7 owl figurines that I absolutely love, but they're in storage right now.

Patch - I just bought this about a month ago during a trip to Mammoth. I always buy patches, but I never know what to do with them! What do you do with your patches?

Necklace - Another recent purchase from Forever 21. I love Forever 21 accessories, although their clothes, not so much. There is a similar one available online here.

Do you guys like owls? Birds? Cats? Dogs?

EDIT: OMG I literally clicked publish then went to check my email and saw this...

Sleek MakeUP

Do you guys know about Sleek MakeUP? I'm really not super familiar with them, but they are a British drugstore-type brand and their products pop up over and over again on UK beauty blogs. I really wanted to try out some of their products and when I found out they lowered their international shipping rates and were having a 20% off deal, I had to jump on the opportunity!

I purchased two items, the first being the Blush by 3 palette in Lace ($12.99). Honestly, when I opened the case, I was a bit shocked by how incredibly bright the blushes were. They are a LOT brighter than the image on the website will lead you to believe. The soft apricot-y shade? More like orange. And the coral-y peach? Yeah, waaaay redder. Of course, I looked up images and swatches on other websites before purchasing, but they varied as well. With a fluffy brush and light hand, you can definitely make these blushes work. I think my favorite is the leftmost, an orangey apricot which would look awesome in summer.

The second item is the Face Contour Kit in Medium ($8.49). I had been debating between light and medium because I was afraid the latter would be too dark, but I think medium works well for my well, medium-tan, skin tone. The color is a pretty true brown, without leaning orange or red. I was also surprisingly pleased by the highlighter which is a very wearable lightly shimmery champagne color.

Overall, I've been very impressed by the quality of Sleek products. I really like their "sleek" matte black packaging and large mirrors. Including shipping and the 20% off, I paid less than $20 for my two products. I really wanted to try the Brow Kit, but it looks like it might not ship to the US? I've also heard great things about their eyeshadow palettes, but I'm on a bit of an eyeshadow buying ban.

Learn more about Sleek MakeUP here.

September Birchbox

Birchbox and I have a love/hate relationship. I've actually been subscribed to Birchbox since it first launched towards the beginning of 2011 and then I dropped it at the end of the year as more and more new subscription services started up. Then in early 2012, I came back because I was reading reviews of beauty boxes and everyone kept saying that Birchbox was their favorite. The boxes have definitely been hit or miss for me and I would classify this month as "just ok." Here's what I got...

1. Benefit Foamingly Clean Facial Wash + Refined Finish Facial Polish (full size $21-22) - Cute packaging as can be expected from Benefit. I'm interested to try these, especially the scrub because I was looking for a new scrub. Although I wish they sent us mini bottles of the actual product rather than packets - the bottles are so adorable!

2. Color Club Birchbox Custom Polish (full size $8) - A very dark dark charcoal grey, almost black shade. It is definitely unique to my collection and I look forward to wearing it in the fall/winter. I don't really know that much about Color Club, but I received one in another box and it wore really well!

3. Nexxus Pro-Mend Split End Treatment System (full size $9.99-14.99) - I don't really have split ends (or at least I don't think I do), so I'm not sure how useful this will be for me. As I mentioned, I hate packet samples!! Oh well...

4. twistband Birchbox Custom Lace Hair Tie (Set of 6-12 $14-22) - I actually just bought a bunch of twistband hair ties and hair bands a couple months ago. They're very secure even on my super thick hair and come in fun colors. I thought twistbands weren't supposed to dent your hair, but I still get a dent every time.

Lifestyle Extra - Mighty Leaf Tea Company Teas - I received 3 bags in Green Tea Tropical, Chamomile Citrus and Vanilla Bean. I got a big whiff when I opened the bag and it smelled really good!

They also don't mention this on the menu card, but there was also a $25 off $75 purchase coupon for Madewell. I love Madewell! Will definitely be using this, except it already expires at the end of the month.

So that's my September Birchbox. I'm a little underwhelmed and Birchbox is currently my least favorite of the 3 beauty boxes I'm subscribed to (others being GlossyBox and Sample Society). However, Birchbox is also the least expensive at only $10/month. I have a bad habit of reading up on other people's boxes and always end up with a bad case of box envy! I'll give Birchbox a couple more months before deciding if I need to drop them again.

Click here for more information about joining Birchbox.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

A cult favorite among celebrities, make-up artists and beauty addicts alike!

Inspired by the "elixir of youth" used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary, this treatment smoothes features, tightens pores, and gives the complexion a burst of radiance. An excellent base for make-up, this mist spray awakens the skin in the morning and livens it up before a night out.

Hmm... the Caudalie Beauty Elixir is an interesting product. Honestly, I feel like it does nothing for my skin, yet I find myself utterly addicted to it. I guess I'm addicted mostly to the scent which is a very strong minty, herbal-y fragrance. The scent is probably quite polarizing and you will either love it or hate it. I personally love it. 

Like I said, I don't think I look any more radiant, but it does give me a little pick me up and leaves my skin feeling tingly and refreshed. Just be careful not to get it in your eyes because it with sting like a b*tch. Trust me, I made that mistake with some overzealous spritzing. 

I'm already contemplating a repurchase and I have about 40% of my bottle left. I can't believe how quickly I went through this! I really use it only on occasion, maybe a couple times a week? There's a good deal on the large bottle at Dermstore.com for less than $30, but I can't deny the convenience of the small bottle. Maybe I should just break down and get both...

Hello Gyarus!

Wikipedia defines Gyaru (ギャル) as the "Japanese transliteration of the English word gal that of girl being gaaru (ガール). The term gradually drifted to apply to a younger group, whose seeming lack of interest in work or marriage gained the word a "childish" image.  Gyaru is a girly-glam style, breaking away from traditional standards of beauty by dwelling on the man-made (wigs, fake eyelashes, fake nails, etc.)."

Hmm, so am I a Gyaru? Probably not so much. I am probably far too old, too dark haired and lack the skills to apply false eyelashes. I do consider myself girly-glam though and some might say I'm childish. I also love Japanese fashion and beauty and love experimenting with different styles and looks. California Gyaru just seemed like the perfect name for my new blog.

So maybe I'm technically not a gyaru, but welcome to my blog anyway. This is my personal blog covering everything I love from beauty to fashion to food to puppies. Enjoy!